Life at Nedap 

Being in the lead of your career and your own personal development, it can go as far as working remotely while travelling the world. After doing her graduation internship at Nedap for her master’s degree, Kelly (27) was offered the chance to kick-start her career at the company. And she took it…starting off with a one-year trip to Australia, that is.

“I had quite a set of demands.”

“After my studies, I first wanted to travel. At the same time, I had discovered I also really wanted to develop further in the technical field after graduation. I could stay at Nedap after completing my graduation project, so was I going to go for security and a job or still travel first? I decided that I should just put my wishes on the table, so I told Nedap I would really like to become more proficient in development, but I would first like to go to Australia for an extended period. And that I would really like to work for them after that. Quite a set of demands, but Nedap was totally fine with the idea. They told me to let them know when I was back and ready to begin the job!”

And so it happened. Kelly has been working at Nedap for 2 years now, where the culture is largely based on trust in people’s own responsibility and taking ownership. For example, days off are not recorded or tracked and there aren’t any fixed job descriptions. “That all sounds very nice, but in the beginning, I found it difficult to be sure whether I was doing enough and whether I was focusing my efforts on the right thing. I soon tended to work more than was maybe necessary. Now I’m used to it and dare to take space and time for myself. Without feeling guilty. It’s about taking responsibility for my work, but also for myself.”

Variety is the spice of life

“Initially, I had very specific learning goals. My studies focused on user research and creativity, as well as technical implemen- tation. But I wanted more depth. I took courses to develop myself further in areas such as front-end development. From there, I also moved into back-end development, which enabled me to use the knowledge and experience with other teams. This degree of variety makes me want more and more, because I continue to develop, and I have the opportunity to work with many different colleagues.”

“I also noticed I need adventure from time to time and that I wanted to experience what it’s like to live and work somewhere else. Exploring Argentina had been high on my wish list for some time, so in close consultation with my team, I settled on a new, temporary work schedule and working remotely. Most of the major cities in Argentina are very suitable to work from, because they have good flex workplaces and fast internet connections. The 4 hours’ time difference with the Netherlands in wintertime is a good overlap of working hours. So I was able to work very well with my colleagues in Groenlo and discover the Argentine culture at the same time.”

After 2 months, Kelly returned home, an experience richer. “The best thing I got out of it is the realisation that every day and the things we take for granted are actually very special. In addition, I got to know myself better and I got confirmation that I’d succeed in managing my life and work outside familiar surroundings. That gives me new energy and purpose, which I am happy to bring back to the team.”